Chocolate Ganache Glaze

The icing on the cake is the finishing touch. It’s the final addition, the presentation. A good icing can make or break a tasty cake. Don’t be caught with a “not-so-delicious” icing. Go with what works and then reap the benefits.

One thing that definitely does work is my recipe for a chocolate ganache glaze. One word—wow. This chocolate ganache glaze is a fun and different way to frost nearly any cake! Don’t be limited by what Betty Crocker says. Make your own rules… and your own icing! With this chocolate ganache recipe, it won’t even be hard.

Yield: Enough to cover 9” double layer cake or 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. semisweet, bittersweet or milk chocolate, chopped fine
• 4 oz. heavy cream

Directions:

1) Place chopped chocolate pieces in a bowl.

2) In a saucepan, heat cream to simmering. Pour simmering cream over chopped chocolate and stir until smooth.

3) Let sit until it cools to room temperature. Use a ladle to pour ganache over cake cupcakes.

See, now wasn’t that simple. This easy chocolate ganache recipe is so fast, hardly has any ingredients at all! One word of caution; beware. This isn’t frosting you’re dealing with. Be sure not to flip a big dollop on because it (obviously) will go sliding right off your cake. Be careful and your reward will be great… a tasty chocolate ganache glaze to cover any fantastic cake!

Sesame Street Cupcakes (starring Big Bird)

He’s an oversized bird that talks and sports a fashionable bright yellow coat. He really is one of a kind!

He’s got buggy eyes and striped legs, yet despite all of this, we all love him. Big bird was the initial star of the popular children’s show, Sesame Street, and now he’s just had his second big break…on cupcakes!

These Sesame Street cupcakes, or Big Bird cupcakes, look so cute; they’re practically a self-portrait of our giant feathered friend.

In addition to the uncanny similarities, these cupcakes are incredibly easy to make! Here let me show you how to create your own Sesame Street Cupcakes with Big Bird!

Ingredients:

• Premade Cupcakes
• Yellow Royal Icing
• White Royal Icing
• Chocolate Chips
• Blue Sprinkles

Directions:

1) Fill a pastry bag, with the Grass Tip on the end, with yellow icing. Make short choppy motions to create short fur for Big Bird.

2) For the eves, pipe small circles towards the center of the cupcake and put them close together.

3) Add the pupils by pressing chocolate chips upside down into the eyes, until level with the frosting. Add a couple sprinkles for eye lashes and you’re good to go!

4) Lastly, for the classic Big Bird nose, pipe out some yellow icing with a regular round tip. You can do this by starting with a triangle in the middle of the cupcake. Fill in the initial triangle with a lighter layer of icing along the interior of the triangle. Finally… tada, you’re done!

Of course everyone loves Sesame Street; the whole gang, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Burt, Ernie, Oscar. Despite all this communal love, the love for Big Bird is always the most for he is the face of Sesame Street. With these Sesame Street cupcakes you can express that Big Bird love in a big, big way!

Elmo Cupcake Recipe

Sunny day…sweepin’ the clouds away—don’t lie. You know you love that giant obese yellow bird that sings to your kids and teaches lessons.

That’s right. We’re talking about the one and only Sesame Street!

For birthday parties and other gatherings, Sesame Street cupcakes are a popular choice for cupcakes. This design will help you to create Elmo cupcakes.

This Elmo cupcake recipe will give you adorable cupcakes that look just like the real thing. Come on… let’s head to Sesame Street and learn how to make these cute little Elmo cupcakes.

Ingredients:

• Premade Cupcakes (flavor of your choice)
• Red Royal Icing
• Orange Gumball
• Marshmallows
• Black Icing or Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1) Take your premade cupcakes and get them ready for frosting. Apply the Grass Tip to your pastry bag and fill it with red icing.

2) Frost your cupcakes with the Grass Tip, pressing down lightly at the base and pulling the pastry bag up, off the cupcake, about ¼ of an inch (depending on how furry you want Elmo to be).

3) With your marshmallows, you can either slice the regular size in halves or you can use mini marshmallows. If you’re not even a marshmallow fan you can just use some white icing and pipe a circle blob of frosting.

4) Use either some black icing or mini chocolate chips for the pupils. Have fun with this. Experiment with the position and size of the pupils to make Elmo excited, wild, confused, or just his regular cute self.

5) For Elmo’s nose, simple use an orange gumball– right in the middle of the cupcake or you could use an orange gumdrop, M&M, circus peanut… the possibilities are endless so be sure to try them all!

Growing up, Sesame Street was one of my all time favorite shows and I always loved Elmo, especially the segment called “Elmo’s World”. Although times are changing, it is good to know that our little red fuzzy friend will stay the same.

He is still learning to tie his shoes and count by twos… leaving a good example for the growing generation of Sesame Street lovers. Don’t spoil a good birthday with regular cupcakes. Choose Elmo cupcakes and they are sure to be the hit of the party.

Easy Cupcake Carrier

We’ve all been there. It’s time for the party so you load up the chips, the dip, the plates, napkins, etc. Slowly, you place your perfect cupcakes into the passenger seat next to you.

With each turn, stop, and start, (no matter how slow you go) the tiny little cakes shift and slide into each other. By the time you get to the party, your cupcakes only slightly resemble the ladybug cupcakes you had started the drive with.

Don’t worry. We’ve all be there and it’s a totally normal problem. I myself struggle with transporting cupcakes… that is, I used too until I ran across the brilliant little tray. This cupcake transporter is so great!

There are individual slots for each cupcake so they don’t slide. Also, there’s a durable plastic lid which snaps on to secure all the cupcakes. Really, for me, there is no better way to carry cupcakes than this lovely cupcake carter.

In addition, the three trays to this cupcake carrier can be removed and you suddenly have a cake carrier… equally as efficient. This cupcake carrier is durable and such a fun color. You can transport one cake or up to 36 cupcakes!

This convenient cupcake carrier is only about $30… which for me is a relatively small price to pay considering what I’m really buying is peace of mind when it comes time to transport my cupcakes.

You can get your own cupcake carrier right here! Check it out!

Sailboat Cupcake Recipe

Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me! With these fun boating cupcakes, that’s what you’ll be singing all day long! These cupcakes are so tasty and very creative! The little boats look kind of hard to make, but in reality they’re so simple.

I found these cupcakes to be very fun and made them one day for some family friends. They were going down to the lake for a couple of days and these sailboat cupcakes were a great way to let them know that we’d miss them while they were away.

Whether you’re a boating expert, just like to dunk your feet in off the dock, or simply love cupcakes, this sailboat cupcake recipe is sure to please.

Ingredients:

• Pre-made cupcakes
• Blue icing (butter cream with blue food coloring)
• Decorating Tip No. 5
• Red Icing (have fun switching up the different boat colors!)
• Corn starch
• Toothpicks
• Construction paper
• White cellophane tape

Directions:

1. Ice the pre-made cupcakes with blue icing, pulling up a little bit with each wipe of icing to create the desired “wave” effect.

2. Pipe in tip No. 5 oval boat bottom shape on the top of the cupcake (smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch). Outline the shape with tip No. 5 and pipe two more times to build up the boat sides.

3. Cut the sail shapes from construction paper and tape to the toothpick; insert into the boat on the cupcake to finish.

4. Enjoy!

Catch a wave, catch a tan, or catch a sailboat cupcake. These cupcakes are easy, adorable, and great for the marina lover in all of us. This recipe will make you wish you could whip the sail up and go out for the day. Call the office and tell them you’re out baking boat cupcakes… be back on Monday!

“By The Sea” Beach and Shark Cupcake Design

In the summertime, there’s nothing like a relaxing day on the beach. You get sand in your hair and in your shoes and it’s completely okay… but what about if it were in your cupcakes?

Although it sounds crazy, these cute beach cupcakes will remind you of your days spent in the sun and worry-free. For those of you who’d rather catch a wave than a tan, there are cute little shark cupcakes as well.

These shark cupcakes make you feel like your right in the water with them. These beach and shark cupcakes make a great addition to any party, gathering, or a regular day!

So surf’s up, tide’s out and cupcakes are in… enjoy!

Ingredients:

Pre-made cupcakes
White Frosting

Sharks
White Chocolate
Blue Food Coloring
Shark Fin Template

Beach
Drink Parasol (umbrella)
Graham Cracker Crumbs

Beach
1) Frost cupcakes with white frosting.
2) Roll in graham cracker crumbs or sprinkle on top until fully covered.
3) Enjoy!

Sharks
1) Add blue food coloring to white frosting.
2) Frost cupcakes with blue frosting. Set aside.
3) Melt white chocolate and add in blue food coloring.
4) Pour into shark fin templates. Let dry.
5) Top cupcakes with fin.
6) Enjoy!

Yum! Aren’t these beach themed cupcakes such a hit? They’re both so easy. In addition if you don’t want to worry about the chocolate fins, you can always just cut out fins from blue construction paper. Either way, the sand and the surf lovers will enjoy your cupcakes and certainly appreciate the cute thought! Beach and shark cupcakes for everyone!

Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe

Red velvet cake has been a classic favorite for many years. Back in the older days, people used to use beet juice in order to give these cupcakes their distinct bright red color. Now-a-days just a drop or two of red food coloring does the trick and these cakes still remain one of the most popular and remarkably beautiful to make. So you can make cake…now but what about a red velvet cupcake recipe? Sound a little unorthodox?

Well, in fact cupcake versions of your favorite cakes are beginning to spread in popularity.Cupcakes are convenient, portable, and so much fun to make.

This particular red velvet cupcake recipe takes your favorite cake and turns it into something amazing… a convenient cupcake!

Yield: 36 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcake-

• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 oz. red food coloring
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Filling and Frosting-

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening. In a glass measuring cup, add the vinegar to the baking soda and let it dissolve.

2) Add the following ingredients to the shortening mixture: buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, vinegar and baking soda mixture.

3) In a small bowl, mix together the red food coloring with the cocoa powder; add this to the shortening batter. Slowly mix in the cake flour and salt. Mix in the cream cheese filling (See step 5 *optional*) to create a marble effect.

4) Pour into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full, and bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5) To create the cream cheese frosting, combine the sugar, cream cheese, egg and vanilla in a small bowl. Swirl 2/3 cup of the cream cheese filling into the red velvet cake batter. (See step 3 *optional*) Reserve the rest for the topping if you choose to swirl the frosting into the batter, otherwise frost the cooled cupcakes and then enjoy.

Once your special Red Velvet cupcakes are complete feel free to enjoy them.

These cupcakes are perfect for parties, school functions, bake sales, or special occasions. With a red velvet cake recipe, no matter how you use these cupcakes, they are sure to be a hit. If you share these with others, then my guess is that you will be a hero to your family and friends for introducing them to these fantastic sweets.

Cupcake Decorating Tips (Part 2)

Well now that you understand all about a cupcake decorating tip, the little metal ones, lets move onto some hints that will help you create the best cupcake ever another tip!

1. Start out with a good recipe

Sure those mixes in the box are tasty but if youve got the time, then splurge for the homemade cupcake recipe version. Youll be glad you did. Also try to set aside the time to make your own cupcake frosting. The effort is so worth ithomemade recipes are rich, tasty and most definitely worth the effort.

2. Bake your cupcakes in paper cup liners…and muffin pans

The pan keeps the cupcakes shape while the liners keep them from sticking. It also gives them a protective cover when its time to serve them keeping fingers clean.

3. Make sure you have the right equipment

You should use rubber spatulas for spreading the frosting onto the cupcakes. They’re gentler than knives or metal spatulas and youre less likely to cut the tops of your cupcake. After all you want your cupcakes to look as good as they taste.

4. Frost a cupcake, top-down

It’s best to place a dollop in the center of the cupcake and work your way around by going in a circular motion, a little further out with every turn. By using this method your cupcake will have a smoother top and not have frosting falling of the edges.

5. Select the right decorating tip; one thats proportional to your cupcake

By using this cupcake decorating tip your result will be much more professional looking. If you use a huge decorating tip on such a little cupcake, it will become overwhelmed with frosting. So when in doubt, leave it out. Cupcakes should be kept simple with little features, and less of them, will stand out more than so many things on one tiny cupcake.

I really hope that these tips helped your cupcakes. Just remember, less is better; homemade beats store-made; and most importantly keep even proportions. By following even one cupcake decorating tip your cupcake will be great; follow all the tips and itll be amazing! Happy cupcake baking and decorating!